During the last year quite a few recordings of Russian opera have come my way, both historical and latter day, both CDs and DVDs, among them several Bolshoi productions. Now here comes a compilation of excerpts from the present generation of Bolshoi artists, recorded less than a year ago in stunning SACD sound, rendering an impressive realism to the performances. The chorus and orchestra, always among the top contenders in the operatic world, are heard in their full glory with magnificent brass and silken strings. The chorus includes excellent voices, less vibrato-laden than earlier incarnations and with a punch that makes the Polovtsian dances really thrilling. I have a 15-year-old recording of these dances under former principal conductor Alexander Lazarev (Erato) and the feeling of deep familiarity and involvement is just as tangible but the present recording has an even greater impact thanks to the sharply etched SACD sound.
I had the great good fortune to hear these forces under their present chief conductor Vedernikov a little over a year ago, at Dalhalla, on the company’s first ever visit to Sweden and was greatly impressed. Then it was Puccini’s Turandot; here we have them in more home-grown repertoire. The choice of items seems to have been made to give a picture of the development of Russian opera in the nineteenth century: Glinka, Dargomizhsky, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov presented in chronological order. The four numbers from Borodin’s Prince Igor, constituting the second half of act 2, have been tugged out of the chronology to make a thrilling end to the programme.
I have already praised the chorus and orchestra and Alexander Vedernikov - not to be confused with the imposing bass singer during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s - leads his forces idiomatically. Isolated pieces like these can’t tell us everything about his large-scale capacity but his handling of the Puccini score at Dalhalla last year left no doubts that here is an important opera conductor. The opening number, the Polonaise and chorus from A Life for the Czar, is a real cracker that should be a favourite at any concert with opera choruses. <...>
Source.
I had the great good fortune to hear these forces under their present chief conductor Vedernikov a little over a year ago, at Dalhalla, on the company’s first ever visit to Sweden and was greatly impressed. Then it was Puccini’s Turandot; here we have them in more home-grown repertoire. The choice of items seems to have been made to give a picture of the development of Russian opera in the nineteenth century: Glinka, Dargomizhsky, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov presented in chronological order. The four numbers from Borodin’s Prince Igor, constituting the second half of act 2, have been tugged out of the chronology to make a thrilling end to the programme.
I have already praised the chorus and orchestra and Alexander Vedernikov - not to be confused with the imposing bass singer during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s - leads his forces idiomatically. Isolated pieces like these can’t tell us everything about his large-scale capacity but his handling of the Puccini score at Dalhalla last year left no doubts that here is an important opera conductor. The opening number, the Polonaise and chorus from A Life for the Czar, is a real cracker that should be a favourite at any concert with opera choruses. <...>
Source.
Göran FORSLING, reviewer for MusicWeb International
MusicWeb International, September 6, 2006
MusicWeb International, September 6, 2006
Highlights from Russian Operas
